ID :
22182
Wed, 10/01/2008 - 20:10
Auther :
Shortlink :
http://m.oananews.org//node/22182
The shortlink copeid
Former President Roh calls for rebuilding trust with N. Korea
SEOUL, Oct. 1 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's former President Roh Moo-hyun said Wednesday that Seoul should rebuild confidence with Pyongyang before resuming reconciliatory talks in a speech marking the first anniversary of his summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong-il.
"The Lee Myung-bak government has been disregarding the Oct. 4, 2007 summit
declaration. Inter-Korean relations clogged again as a result," Roh said,
speaking at a civilian ceremony held at a Seoul hotel to mark the anniversary.
"But more importantly, this breaks confidence (between the two Koreas)."
During the second inter-Korean summit, the two Koreas agreed to expand the joint
industrial complex in Kaesong, a North Korean border town, create a special peace
zone around Haeju on the North's west coast, and embark on other cooperation
programs.
Their once reconciliatory relations turned sour after the conservative, pro-U.S.
South Korean President Lee Myung-bak took office in late February, pledging to
link further inter-Korean cooperation programs to progress in international
efforts to scrap the North's nuclear arms ambitions.
Lee has been reluctant to implement various inter-Korean programs agreed upon in
the summit, which officials estimate to cost 14.3 trillion won (US$11.9 billion).
North Korea, in anger over Lee's tough stance, has spurned Lee's repeated offers
of dialogue and stepped up harsh criticism against him, accusing him of being a
"traitor."
The fatal shooting of a South Korean tourist in the communist state dealt a
further blow to the relations.
"Keeping a promise is basic to all human relationships. The result of
international negotiations is an especially grave and heavy promise," Roh said,
apparently urging the government to abide by the summit accord.
In his first public appearance since leaving the presidential office, Roh also
asked the government to refraining from provoking North Korea by demonstrating a
strong alliance between South Korea and the United States, or trilateral
cooperation between the two countries plus Japan.
Also present at the event were about 50 attendants who accompanied Roh during his
trip to Pyongyang for the summit and 300 other former top officials and Roh's
aides, including former Prime Minister Lee Hae-chan.
"The Lee Myung-bak government has been disregarding the Oct. 4, 2007 summit
declaration. Inter-Korean relations clogged again as a result," Roh said,
speaking at a civilian ceremony held at a Seoul hotel to mark the anniversary.
"But more importantly, this breaks confidence (between the two Koreas)."
During the second inter-Korean summit, the two Koreas agreed to expand the joint
industrial complex in Kaesong, a North Korean border town, create a special peace
zone around Haeju on the North's west coast, and embark on other cooperation
programs.
Their once reconciliatory relations turned sour after the conservative, pro-U.S.
South Korean President Lee Myung-bak took office in late February, pledging to
link further inter-Korean cooperation programs to progress in international
efforts to scrap the North's nuclear arms ambitions.
Lee has been reluctant to implement various inter-Korean programs agreed upon in
the summit, which officials estimate to cost 14.3 trillion won (US$11.9 billion).
North Korea, in anger over Lee's tough stance, has spurned Lee's repeated offers
of dialogue and stepped up harsh criticism against him, accusing him of being a
"traitor."
The fatal shooting of a South Korean tourist in the communist state dealt a
further blow to the relations.
"Keeping a promise is basic to all human relationships. The result of
international negotiations is an especially grave and heavy promise," Roh said,
apparently urging the government to abide by the summit accord.
In his first public appearance since leaving the presidential office, Roh also
asked the government to refraining from provoking North Korea by demonstrating a
strong alliance between South Korea and the United States, or trilateral
cooperation between the two countries plus Japan.
Also present at the event were about 50 attendants who accompanied Roh during his
trip to Pyongyang for the summit and 300 other former top officials and Roh's
aides, including former Prime Minister Lee Hae-chan.
